A local scofflaw now has more to worry about than unpaid parking tickets after he crushed a Parking Enforcement’s Officer’s hand Wednesday while trying to escape “the boot.”
A two-person team of Parking Enforcement Officers (PEO) working in the 2200 block of 1st Ave in Belltown spotted the suspect’s Lexus, which had previously accumulated at least four unpaid parking tickets.
When the PEOs pulled over and began placing a “boot” wheel clamp on the Lexus, the 57-year-old scofflaw—who is well-known to the department’s parking enforcement team—walked over and hopped in the driver’s seat of the car.
After the PEOs told the suspect not to try to drive off, he put his Lexus into reverse and backed up, crushing one PEO’s hand between the clamp and one of the car’s tires.
The PEOs called for patrol officers, who quickly arrived, arrested the suspect and booked him into the King County Jail for reckless endangerment.
Medics transported the Parking officer to the hospital. She reportedly suffered at least one fracture and tendon damage during the incident.